Department for Transport

Holyhead Port

baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what arrangements for a no-deal Brexit have been put in place at the port of Holyhead.

baroness vere of norbiton: Contingency planning in relation to access to the port of Holyhead is a matter for the Welsh Government. However, the Department for Transport continues to liaise closely with the Welsh Government and the Wales Office on no-deal Brexit preparations, and to provide support where requested.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Carbon Emissions

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans, if any, they have to make 2025 the new target for zero carbon emissions.

lord duncan of springbank: Our independent advisors, the Committee on Climate Change, made clear in their report on Net Zero, published on 2 May 2019, that they do not consider it credible for the UK to aim to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions earlier than 2050.  We have legislated in line with this advice; to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 and end the UK’s contribution to climate change.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Hevrin Khalaf

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made as to whether the execution of Hevrin Khalaf, the secretary-general of the Future Syria Party, constitutes a war crime.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are deeply concerned by reports of the extrajudicial killing of Hevrin Khalaf, the Secretary General of the Future Syria Party, on 12 October. The UK strongly supports efforts to pursue accountability in Syria. It is the policy of the British Government, that any judgment as to whether war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide have occurred is a matter for judicial decision after consideration of all the available evidence, rather than for governments or non-judicial bodies. To this end, we are providing diplomatic and financial support to the UN Impartial Independent Investigative Mechanism to gather evidence and prepare legal casesWe expect all sides to respect their obligations towards civilians under the international humanitarian law.

Syria: Military Intervention

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what information they have about the claim by the Syrian Democratic Forces that nine executions of civilians have been carried out since the invasion of Syria by Turkey.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The British Government is deeply concerned by credible reports of the execution of nine civilians in north east Syria. We expect all sides to respect their obligations towards civilians under international humanitarian law. We have repeatedly called for Turkey to end the operation, and exercise maximum restraint.

Syria: Military Intervention

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have discussed with the government of the United States their condemnation of the executions of Syrian civilians by Turkish-allied Syria groups; and what plans they have to seek a referral of Turkey to the International Criminal Court.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The British Government is deeply concerned by reports of the execution of civilians in north east Syria. We are in regular contact with the US regarding the rapidly developing situation. The Prime Minister spoke to President Trump last week, and the Foreign and Defence Secretaries have also spoken with their US counterparts. We are united in calling on Turkey to end the operation, and on all parties to abide by their obligations under international humanitarian law. The UK has no plans to seek a referral of Turkey to the International Criminal Court.

Syria: Military Intervention

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will publish the names of combatants fighting alongside Turkish forces in north-east Syria who are known to have affiliations with ISIS or other terrorist organisations.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The British Government does not hold this information.

Syria: Genocide

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what information they have received about the plight of religious or political minorities at risk from genocidaires in north-east Syria; and what action they are taking in accordance with the requirements of the Convention on the Prevention of Genocide to protect them and to bring the perpetrators to justice.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We follow closely the human rights situation in Syria, including north-east Syria. We are concerned at reported violations of international humanitarian law in the context of the Turkish military intervention and have called on all parties to respect their obligations under international humanitarian law. As a party to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, we will continue to work closely with international partners in pursuit of justice for the victims of Daesh in Syria and Iraq. The British Government supports the UN mechanisms to monitor and gather evidence of any war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity committed in Syria, namely the UN Commission of Inquiry for Syria and the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism for Syria.

Middle East: Genocide

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they are making in establishing international judicial mechanisms to bring those responsible for genocide in Syria and Iraq to justice.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK is committed to promoting justice for the victims of any war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity alleged to have taken place in Syria and Iraq, including by members of Daesh. We are providing diplomatic and financial support to the UN Impartial Independent Investigative Mechanism in Syria and the UN Investigative Team (having contributed over £9 million since 2012 to UN accountability mechanisms and NGOs) to promote accountability, gather evidence and prepare legal cases.

Syria: British Nationals Abroad

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to immediately repatriate the children and widows of British citizens or residents in Syria, who wish to return to the UK; and if not, why not.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: As a matter of general policy, we provide consular assistance to British Nationals not UK residents. The UK has no consular presence within Syria from which to provide assistance. This makes it difficult to help but we will take a case-by-case approach to any requests for assistance. Outside of Syria, we would of course respond to requests for consular assistance regarding British children, subject to national security concerns.Our advice to any British national abroad who needs emergency help from the British Government is to contact the nearest British Embassy or Consulate, which in this case will be outside Syria. If a minor is unable to do so, a request can be made on their behalf. British nationals can also call the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in London 24 hours a day 7 days a week. The number is clearly advertised on FCO Syria Travel Advice pages.

Ali Hajji

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Bahrain about Bahraini human rights activist Ali Al-Hajee and his access to (1) dental implants and dental surgery, and (2) unobstructed family visitation; and whether they intend to take any further steps in relation to his case.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are aware of the case of Ali Al Hajee, and have raised the case at a senior level with the Government of Bahrain. The Government of Bahrain have made clear in public statements that access to medical care, including dental, for those in detention is guaranteed by the Constitution of Bahrain.We encourage those with concerns about treatment in detention to raise them with the appropriate Bahraini human rights oversight body. We continue to encourage the oversight bodies in Bahrain to carry out thorough and swift investigations into any such claims.

Naji Fateel

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Bahrain about Bahraini human rights activist Naji Fateel and his access to (1) medical care for his injuries purportedly sustained during torture in detention, (2) unobstructed family visitation, and (3) his right to practice his religion; and whether they intend to take any further steps in relation to his case.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are aware of the case of Naji Fateel, including allegations of mistreatment in detention, and have raised the case at a senior level with the Government of Bahrain. The Government of Bahrain has been clear in public statements that access to medical care for those in detention is guaranteed by the Constitution of Bahrain.We encourage those with concerns about treatment in detention to raise them with the appropriate Bahraini human rights oversight body. We continue to encourage the oversight bodies in Bahrain to carry out thorough and swift investigations into any such claims.​

Bahrain: Political Prisoners

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Bahrain about political prisoners Hassan Mushaima and Abduljalil al-Singace and their access to specialised medical treatment without being restrained in contravention of the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners; and whether they intend to take any further steps in relation to those prisoners’ cases.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We continue to monitor the cases of Hassan Mushaima and Abduljalil al-Singace. We have raised these cases at senior levels with the Bahraini Government. The Government of Bahrain has been clear in public statements that access to medical care for those in detention is guaranteed by the Constitution of Bahrain.​

Bahrain: Political Prisoners

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the findings of the report by the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy and Americans for Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain Breaking the Silence: Bahraini Women Political Prisoners Expose Systemic Abuses, published on 11 September, which reveals patterns of physical, psychological, and sexual torture and due process violations by law enforcement officials against women human rights activists in Bahrain.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The British Government takes note of a number of sources of information on Bahrain; including publications and statements from non-governmental organisations.The UK does consistently and unreservedly condemn torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and we raise our concerns wherever and whenever it occurs. We encourage those with concerns about treatment in detention to report these to the appropriate oversight body.

Moosa Mohammed

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the report by Channel 4 about an incident at the Bahraini Embassy in London where photojournalist Moosa Mohammed was reportedly “battered with a wooden stick”, what steps they will take against the Bahraini Ambassador to the UK, and any others involved.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: During the evening of 26 July, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office was alerted to the illegal entry of an individual by Embassy staff. The situation was managed by the Metropolitan Police. We would expect the Police to investigate any allegations of criminal behaviour and bring charges where appropriate. The Government takes the safety and security of foreign diplomats and the status of Embassies and High Commissions in the UK extremely seriously and expects reciprocity in respect of our diplomats and posts abroad.​

Israel: Gaza

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the government of Israel about reports that the Israeli military have fired live rounds at farmers on their land in Gaza away from the buffer zone.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We regularly raise with Israel our concerns about its use of live fire in Gaza, and urge them to reduce restrictions, including reducing movement and access restrictions.​

West Bank: Archaeological Sites

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the government of Israel about reports that the Palestinian archaeological sites in Sebastia, within area B of the West Bank are being invaded by Israeli soldiers and settlers and that associated buildings close by are being threatened with demolition.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: While we have not raised this issue with the Israeli authorities, we condemn any incidence of violence by settlers against Palestinians. We also remain seriously concerned by the continued demolition of Palestinian property by Israeli authorities. We consistently call for an immediate end to all actions that undermine the viability of the two-state solution, including the demolition of Palestinian property in the West Bank. In all but the most exceptional of circumstances, demolition in occupied territories is contrary to International Humanitarian Law and to UN Security Council resolutions. The practice causes unnecessary suffering to ordinary Palestinians and is harmful to the peace process. The practice causes unnecessary suffering to ordinary Palestinians and is harmful to the peace process.

Hong Kong: Politics and Government

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government why there has been a delay in their publication of the next edition of the review of compliance with the Sino-British Declaration on Hong Kong.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Foreign Secretary confirmed to Parliament on 26 September that the next Hong Kong Six Monthly Report will be published shortly and by November at the latest. The short delay to publication is due to the fast moving events in Hong Kong. The last Six Monthly Report to Parliament was published on 27 March 2019.​

Syria: Military Intervention

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have received any evidence of the recent use by Turkey in northern Syria of (1) white phosphorus in gas or solid form, and (2) flechettes; and whether there is any evidence to suggest that detention camps have been targeted by Turkish forces with a view to freeing ISIS fighters.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are aware of allegations of use of white phosphorus but are not aware of any reports of flechettes being used. Allegations that white phosphorus has been used against civilians are extremely worrying and it is important that the full facts are established. We have called on all parties to uphold international humanitarian law which prohibits attacks against civilians irrespective of the weapon used. We have not seen any evidence to suggest that detention camps have been targeted by Turkish forces with a view to freeing Daesh fighters. Turkey is a member of the Global Coalition and has demonstrated its commitment to the ongoing fight against Daesh.

Independent Tribunal into Forced Organ Harvesting from Prisoners of Conscience in China

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government on what evidence they based their decision to modify their response to the findings of the China Tribunal in its reportIndependent Tribunal into Forced Organ Harvesting from Prisoners of Conscience in China Final Judgement and Summary Report, published on 17 June, from deeming the evidence collected by that Tribunal as "insufficient" to "not incontrovertible"; and whether they will publish their reasons for that decision.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: My officials have thoroughly reviewed the evidence presented at the hearings. The Government’s position remains that, if true, the practice of systematic, state-sponsored organ harvesting would be truly horrifying. We take these allegations seriously; evidence presented at the tribunal raised disturbing details of the treatment of Falun Gong practitioners, and highlighted the lack of transparency in the Chinese organ transplant system.

Special Envoy on Freedom of Religion or Belief: Finance

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what budget has been allocated to the office of the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy on Freedom of Religion and Belief for each of the next three years.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We have agreed that funding for the office of the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy on Freedom of Religion or Belief should adequately cover travel and administrative costs. For this financial year we expect this to be £73,453. Future funding will be decided at a later stage.

Burma: Crimes against Humanity

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to use Magnitsky powers to target those responsible for reported crimes against humanity in Myanmar; and what mechanisms they are establishing, if any, to bring to justice those responsible for crimes against humanity and potential genocide.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK has already imposed, through the EU, sanctions on 14 individuals responsible for serious human rights violations or abuses in Myanmar. This includes individuals from the Myanmar military and border guard police. When the UK leaves the EU, these listings will be maintained in an autonomous UK sanctions regime.The UK has also announced an intention to establish a UK autonomous global human rights sanctions (‘Magnitsky’) regime once we leave the EU. A global sanctions regime would allow us to respond to serious human rights violations or abuses anywhere in the world. Though we cannot pre-announce designations, the sanctions regime could be used as a tool to hold perpetrators of serious human rights abuses or violations to account.The UK worked through the UN Human Rights Council to establish a Fact Finding Mission, to investigate allegations of serious human rights abuses in Rakhine, and elsewhere in Myanmar. Following its initial report, we worked closely with the OIC and the EU to establish a mechanism to collect and preserve evidence of atrocities in Myanmar. The mechanism will ensure any future justice process, domestic or international, does not find that evidence has been lost or degraded. The Mechanism became operational in September.

Burma: Rohingya

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Myanmar about ensuring justice and the voluntary and safe return of Rohingya refugees to Myanmar.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK has been clear with the Government of Myanmar that its domestic Commission of Inquiry must produce a credible report which recognises that atrocities were committed in Rakhine. On her visit to Myanmar in September, Baroness Sugg met with senior government figures in Rakhine, pushing for faster progress on implementing the Annan Commission Recommendations to create the conditions for the safe and voluntary returns of Rohingya refugees to Myanmar. The situation in Rakhine State has been made worse by serious clashes between the Arakan Army and the Myanmar military. We have called on the Government of Myanmar to work to de-escalate tensions and create space for progress on the conditions for safe and voluntary returns.

Bangladesh and Burma: Trade

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any trading (1) sanctions, and (2) conditions, have been imposed on (a) Myanmar; and if so, what.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK was instrumental in securing a tightening of the EU Arms Embargo, prohibiting the export of dual-use goods, and restrictions on communications equipment and military cooperation. As a result, the UK revoked all extant licences which were not consistent with the new measures. The UK has also secured targeted EU sanctions on fourteen individuals responsible for human rights violations in Myanmar.We do not support the introduction of financial or trade sanctions at this stage. Targeting companies or sectors, and disrupting Myanmar’s financial system, could harm economic development across Myanmar. Any sanctions on economic entities or sectors of the economy must be sufficiently targeted at the military so that they do not harm ordinary working people in Myanmar, who are among some of the poorest in the region.​

Department of Health and Social Care

Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to prevent alcohol harm and reduce health inequalities.

baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the publication of the Prevention green paper in July, what steps they plan to take to address and prevent alcohol harm.

baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of alcohol on health, and health inequalities; and what plans they have to prevent alcohol harm.

baroness blackwood of north oxford: The Government is committed to tackling health harms from alcohol and to support the most vulnerable at risk from alcohol misuse. The Prevention Green Paper Advancing our health: prevention in the 2020s outlines how we will help people moderate their drinking by working with industry to deliver a significant increase in the availability of alcohol-free and low-alcohol products by 2025. The Government will engage with industry and other stakeholders around delivering this objective.Lower socioeconomic status is associated with higher mortality for alcohol-attributable causes, despite lower socioeconomic groups often reporting lower levels of consumption. As part of the NHS Long Term Plan, we are establishing specialist Alcohol Care Teams in hospitals with the highest rates of alcohol harm. It is estimated that this will prevent 50,000 admissions over five years. Local authorities will also receive over £3 billion in 2019/20 to be used exclusively on public health including alcohol treatment services. Public Health England is supporting NHS England’s tobacco and alcohol commissioning for quality and innovation scheme, which encourages hospitals to screen all inpatients about their alcohol use and offer appropriate interventions.The UK Chief Medical Officers issued Low Risk Drinking Guidelines in 2016 so that people could make informed choices about their own drinking and the Government has worked with industry to ensure information on the health harms of alcohol are printed clearly on the labelling of alcoholic drinks.The Government has also made funding of £6 million available to support children who live with an alcohol dependent parent which will address the inequalities facing this vulnerable group.

Department for International Development

UNRWA

baroness deech: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the accuracy of the report on the internal ethics of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, produced in 2018,and (2) the suspension of aid by Belgium, Switzerland and the Netherlands to that Agency; and what steps they are taking in the light of the allegations of nepotism, bullying and corruption in that Agency.

baroness sugg: DFID is not in a position to comment on the accuracy of the internal ethics report referred to. However, we are concerned by the allegations of misconduct and mismanagement at the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) which are currently being investigated by the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services under the authority of the UN Secretary General. The Minister for the Middle East and North Africa wrote to the UN Deputy Secretary General in August urging the UN to conduct a thorough, rigorous and speedy investigation and to act quickly on its recommendations. It would be inappropriate to comment on the allegations ahead of that process reaching a conclusion. We note that a small number of donors have suspended funding to UNRWA while the investigation is ongoing (representing approximately 0.01% of UNRWA’s 2019 budget). The UK has, like the substantial majority of donors, and all major donors, maintained our funding.

UNRWA

baroness deech: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency has published data to the International Aid Transparency Index in order to inform their review of that Agency’s performance.

baroness sugg: DFID’s Memorandum of Understanding with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) requires it to apply transparency standards in line with the UK Aid Transparency Guarantee and the International Aid Transparency Initiative for all funding received from DFID. All of UNRWA’s annual reports are published on UNRWA’s website. The Aid Transparency Index is an initiative run by the independent organisation ‘Publish What you Fund’ which selects aid organisations for inclusion based upon its own criteria. The Government has not pressed Publish What you Fund to include UNRWA in its index as we respect its independence and do not seek to influence the index’s coverage.

Department for Education

Engineering: Graduates

lord hodgson of astley abbotts: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of undergraduates who studied engineering at university who now work in the engineering industry post-graduation.

baroness berridge: Information on the destinations of students 6 months after leaving UK higher education is collected and published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) as part of the Destination of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) survey.Latest statistics were published in June 2018 for students leaving their courses in the 2016/17 academic year, and are available at the following link:https://www.hesa.ac.uk/news/28-06-2018/sfr250-higher-education-leaver-statistics.As part of the DLHE survey, HESA records the Standard Occupation Classification category of those respondents who were in employment. Of the UK and EU-domiciled leavers from undergraduate courses in engineering who responded to the survey, and were in employment 6 months after graduating, 49.8% were estimated to be employed in roles categorised as ‘engineering professionals’.The share of engineering leavers employed as ‘engineering professionals’ varies across engineering subjects. For that reason, a more detailed subject breakdown has been provided in the table. Share of engineering leavers1 in engineering occupations2 six months after graduationUK higher education institutions2016/17 leavers  Engineering subject Count3 of survey respondents in employmentShare of survey respondents employed as ‘engineering professionals’General engineering1,22045.8%Civil engineering1,86068.0%Mechanical engineering3,52057.1%Aerospace engineering95034.8%Naval architecture4058.5%Electronic & electrical engineering2,47539.3%Production & manufacturing engineering44539.9%Chemical, process & energy engineering88538.3%Others in engineering4537.4%Total Engineering11,45049.8% Source: DfE Analysis of the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) survey1. Graduates in engineering-based subjects have been defined using the principal categories H1 to H9 of the Joint Academic Coding System (JACS). More information on JACS codes can be found at the following link: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/support/documentation/jacs.2. Graduates categorised as being in Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) group 212 are considered to be in the ‘Engineering Professionals’ category. More information on SOC DLHE codes can be found at the following link: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/support/documentation/occupational/soc2010.3. Counts are on the basis of full-person-equivalents. Where a student is studying more than one subject, they are apportioned between the subjects that make up their course.4. Figures are rounded to the nearest 5.   Statistics about students leaving courses in the 2017/18 academic year will be published from HESA’s new Graduate Outcomes survey in April 2020. A key difference with this new survey is that employment activities will be measured 15 months after graduation, rather than after 6 months.

The Senior Deputy Speaker

House of Lords: Times of Sittings

lord palmer: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what estimate he has made of the total cost of the sitting of the House of Lords on Saturday 19 October.

lord mcfall of alcluith: It is not possible to provide a reliable estimate of the total cost of the sitting of the House on Saturday 19 October at this stage. The costs incurred will relate to additional staff costs and claims that Members may submit in relation to their attendance on that date. Such claims can be submitted up to the end of November and once the figures are available an update will be provided. Other directly attributable costs will be disclosed if available. However, for some general running costs, for example heating and lighting etc., it will not be possible to attribute those to a specific date.

House of Lords: Select Committee Reports

lord grocott: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker which House of Lords Committee reports, published since the EU Referendum in 2016, have been directly related to the UK's departure from the EU, excluding reports by (1) the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee, and (2) the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments.

lord mcfall of alcluith: Since 23 June 2016 the following committees have published the following reports directly related to the UK’s departure from the EU. These include reports on legislation and treaties which are directly concerned with the Brexit process. Constitution Committee (2016–17)The invoking of Article 50 (4th report, HL Paper 44)European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill (8th report, HL Paper 119)The ‘Great Repeal Bill’ and delegated powers (9th report, HL Paper 123) Constitution Committee (2017–19)European Union (Withdrawal) Bill: interim report (3rd report, HL Paper 19)Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Bill [HL] (8th report, HL Paper 39)European Union (Withdrawal) Bill (9th report, HL Paper 69)Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Bill (10th report, HL Paper 80)Haulage Permits and Trailer Registration Bill [HL] (11th report, HL Paper 90)Trade Bill (13th report, HL Paper 193)Healthcare (International Arrangements) Bill (18th report, HL Paper 291)European Union (Withdrawal) (No.5) Bill (19th report, HL Paper 339) Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee (2016–17)European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill (18th report, HL Paper 118)Special Report: Submission to the House of Commons Procedure Committee inquiry on delegated powers in the “Great Repeal Bill” (23rd report, HL Paper 143)Special Report: Second Submission to the House of Commons Procedure Committee inquiry on delegated powers in the “Great Repeal Bill” (30th report, HL Paper 164) Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee (2017–19)European Union (Withdrawal) Bill (3rd report, HL Paper 22)Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Bill (7th report, HL Paper 38)Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Bill (Government response); scrutiny of delegated legislation under the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill (correspondence) (10th report, HL Paper 58)Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Bill; Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Bill (Government response (11th report, HL Paper 65)European Union (Withdrawal) Bill (12th report, HL Paper 73)Nuclear Safeguards Bill (13th report, HL Paper 77)Haulage Permits and Trailer Registration Bill (15th report, HL Paper 84)Nuclear Safeguards Bill (Government response) (17th report, HL Paper 102)European Union (Withdrawal) Bill (Government response); Haulage Permits and Trailer Registration Bill (Government response) (20th report, HL Paper 119)European Union (Withdrawal) Bill (correspondence) (22nd report, HL Paper 123)European Union (Withdrawal) Bill (Government amendments) (23rd report, HL Paper 124)European Union (Withdrawal) Bill (Further government amendments) (24th report, HL Paper 128)Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Bill (Consideration of Commons Amendments); European Union (Withdrawal) Bill (correspondence) (26th report, HL Paper 140)Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Bill (Government response) (28th report, HL Paper 147)Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Bill (Government response) (32nd report, HL Paper 181)Trade Bill (33rd report, HL Paper 186)Agriculture Bill (34th report, HL Paper 194)Fisheries Bill; Healthcare (International Arrangements) Bill (39th report, HL Paper 226)Fisheries Bill (Government response) (45th report, HL Paper 274)Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (46th report, HL Paper 275)Healthcare (International Arrangements) Bill; Healthcare (International Arrangements) Bill (Government response) (47th report, HL Paper 289)Healthcare (International Arrangements) Bill (changed to Healthcare (European Economic Area and Switzerland Arrangements) Bill) (Government response) (50th report, HL Paper 336)European Union (Withdrawal)(No.5) Bill (51st report, HL Paper 340)European Union (Withdrawal)(No.6) Bill (61st report, HL Paper 418) Economic Affairs Committee (2017–19)Brexit and the Labour Market (1st report, HL Paper 11) European Union Committee (2016–17)Scrutinising Brexit: the role of Parliament (1st report, HL Paper 33)Brexit: parliamentary scrutiny (4th report, HL Paper 50)Brexit: the options for trade (5th report, HL Paper 72)Brexit: UK-Irish relations (6th report, HL Paper 76)Brexit: future UK-EU security and police cooperation (7th report, HL Paper 77)Brexit: fisheries (8th report, HL Paper 78)Brexit: financial services (9th report, HL Paper 81)Brexit: acquired rights (10th report, HL Paper 82)Brexit: environment and climate change (12th report, HL Paper 109)Brexit: Gibraltar (13th report, HL Paper 116)Brexit: UK-EU movement of people (14th report, HL Paper 121)Brexit and the EU budget (15th report, HL Paper 125)Brexit: trade in goods (16th report, HL Paper 129)Brexit: justice for individuals, families and businesses? (17th report, HL Paper 134)Brexit: trade in non-financial services (18th report, HL Paper 135)Brexit: the Crown Dependencies (19th report, HL Paper 136)Brexit: agriculture (20th report, HL Paper 169) European Union Committee (2017–19)Brexit: the EU data protection package (3rd report, HL Paper 7)Brexit: devolution (4th report, HL Paper 9)Brexit: farm animal welfare (5th report, HL Paper 15)Brexit: judicial oversight of the European Arrest Warrant (6th report, HL Paper 16)Brexit: deal or no deal (7th report, HL Paper 46)Brexit: sanctions policy (8th report, HL Paper 50)Brexit: will consumers be protected? (9th report, HL Paper 51)Brexit: energy security (10th report, HL Paper 63)Brexit: the future of financial regulation and supervision (11th report, HL Paper 66)Brexit: competition and State aid (12th report, HL Paper 67)Brexit: reciprocal healthcare (13th report, HL Paper 107)Brexit: food prices and availability (14th report, HL Paper 129)Dispute resolution and enforcement after Brexit (15th report, HL Paper 130)Brexit: Common Security and Defence Policy missions and operations (16th report, HL Paper 132)UK-EU relations after Brexit (17th report, HL Paper 149)Brexit: the proposed UK-EU security treaty (18th report, HL Paper 164)Brexit: movement of people in the cultural sector (19th report, HL Paper 182)Brexit: the customs challenge (20th report, HL Paper 187)Brexit: plant and animal biosecurity (21st report, HL Paper 191)Brexit: chemical regulation (23rd report, HL Paper 215)Brexit: the Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration (24th report, HL Paper 245)Brexit: the European Investment Bank (25th report, HL Paper 269)Scrutiny of international agreements; treaties considered on 5 February 2019 (27th report, HL Paper 282)Brexit: the Erasmus and Horizon programmes (28th report, HL Paper 283)Scrutiny of international agreements; treaties considered on 12 February 2019 (29th report, HL Paper 287)Scrutiny of international agreements; treaties considered on 20 February 2019 (30th report, HL Paper 296)Scrutiny of international agreements; treaties considered on 26 February 2019 (31st report, HL Paper 300)Scrutiny of international agreements; treaties considered on 5 March 2019 (32nd report, HL Paper 306)Scrutiny of international agreements; treaties considered on 12 March 2019 (33rd report, HL Paper 315)Scrutiny of international agreements; treaties considered on 19 March 2019 (34th report, HL Paper 321)Beyond Brexit: how to win friends and influence people (35th report, HL Paper 322)Scrutiny of international agreements; treaties considered on 3 April 2019 (36th report, HL Paper 337)Scrutiny of international agreements; treaties considered on 9 April 2019 (37th report, HL Paper 342)Scrutiny of international agreements; treaties considered on 30 April 2019 38th report, HL Paper 349)Brexit: road, rail and maritime transport (39th report, HL Paper 355)Scrutiny of international agreements; treaties considered on 14 May 2019 (40th report, HL Paper 362)Scrutiny of international agreements; treaties considered on 11 June 2019 (41st report, HL Paper 379)Scrutiny of international agreements: treaties considered on 9 July 2019 (44th report, HL Paper 402)Scrutiny of international agreements: treaties considered on 23 July 2019 (45th report, HL Paper 416)Scrutiny of international agreements: treaties considered on 9 September 2019 (46th report, HL Paper 421)Scrutiny of international agreements: treaties considered on 7 October 2019 (47th report, HL Paper 427)Brexit: refugee protection and asylum policy (48th report, HL Paper 428) European Union Committee (2019–20)Scrutiny of international agreements: treaties considered on 21 October 2019 (1st report, HL Paper 6)Brexit: the financial settlement (2nd report, HL Paper 7) Science and Technology Committee (2016–17)A time for boldness: EU membership and UK science after the referendum (1st report, HL Paper 85)

Treasury

Public Works Loan Board: Interest Rates

baroness scott of needham market: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the interest rate rises announced by the Public Works Loan Board.

the earl of courtown: In raising interest rates for new loans from the Public Works Loan Board, the Treasury assessed the potential impact on local government capital plans. Local authorities continue to benefit from very favourable interest rates on Public Works Loan Board loans. This increase returned Public Works Loan Board rates to levels that were available in 2018. The Government will continue to work with individual authorities on a case-by-case basis if they raise concerns over their financial position.

Taking Control of Goods (Fees) Regulations 2014

lord stevenson of balmacara: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Taking Control of Goods (Fees) Regulations 2014 have ensured that VAT is no longer applied to debts enforced under a High Court judgment; and if not, what steps they will take to resolve this.

the earl of courtown: Debt collection services carried out by High Court Enforcement Officers are subject to VAT according to the normal rules and any VAT due is payable by the creditor who receives the service. The debtor is not required to pay the VAT. HM Revenue and Customs are working with the Ministry of Justice, which is responsible for the Taking Control of Goods (Fees) 2014 Regulations, to ensure that VAT rules continue to be applied correctly.

Agriculture: VAT

lord empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Agriculture Flat Rate Scheme is applied equally across the UK; and if not, why not.

the earl of courtown: The Agricultural Flat Rate Scheme is applied equally across the whole of the UK under the terms of the VAT Act 1994, section 54 and the VAT Regulations 1995, regulations 202-211.

Agriculture: VAT

lord empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union in Shields and Sons Partnerships v HMRC [2017] C262-16 that foundthat HMRC cannot exclude farming businesses from the Agriculture Flat Rate Scheme; and what estimate they have made of the number offarms in Northern Ireland which (1) were, and (2) are still, excluded.

the earl of courtown: HMRC have accepted the Court of Justice of the European Union ruling and subsequent Upper Tribunal decision in the Shields & Sons Partnership case and are exploring options to ensure the rules regarding eligibility for the Agricultural Flat Rate scheme are clear, precise and objective for businesses and not open to abuse. From 2008 to 2018 there have been a total of 70 known exclusions (refusal of entry into the scheme or subsequent removal from the scheme) of businesses in Northern Ireland from the Agricultural Flat Rate Scheme. HMRC are unable to provide an estimate of businesses that are still excluded as some of these businesses may have since registered for VAT. These figures are based on management information and have not been assured to the standard of Official Statistics.Figures are not available for the period covering 1993-2007.

Agriculture: VAT

lord empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what stepsthey are taking in regard to the Shields & Sons Partnership v HMRC [2017] C262-16 ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union.

the earl of courtown: HMRC have been actively engaging with stakeholders across the agricultural sector to explore options to ensure the rules regarding eligibility for the Agricultural Flat Rate Scheme are clear, precise and objective for businesses and not open to abuse.

Alcoholic Drinks: Excise Duties

baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Fraser of Allander Institute Economic Perspectives: Could a reduction in alcohol consumption be good news for the UK economy?, published in June 2018, in particular its finding that an increase in alcohol taxes could boost national income and create 17,000 jobs; and what steps, if any, they intend to take in response to that finding.

baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of raising alcohol duty onHer Majesty's Treasury’s income.

the earl of courtown: All taxes are kept under review and the impact of a change to alcohol duty is considered at each fiscal event, including its effect on jobs and the wider economy. HMRC publishes a Tax Information Impact Note explaining the impact of the change, each time a duty rate is amended.

Soft Drinks: Taxation

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to extend the soft drinks industry levy to include sugary dairy drinks, as recommended by the Royal College of Surgeon's Faculty of Dental Surgery's reportThe state of children's oral health in England, published in August.

the earl of courtown: As set out in Phase 2 of the Childhood Obesity Strategy, HM Treasury is due to review the Soft Drinks Industry Levy exemption for milk-based drinks in 2020.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Public Lavatories: Non-domestic Rates

lord bourne of aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to legislate to finance rate relief for local authorities in relation to the provision of public lavatories in the present Parliamentary session.

viscount younger of leckie: The Government recognises the importance of public lavatories as valuable community amenities and will seek to introduce legislation that would provide business rate relief for public lavatories when Parliamentary time allows.

Private Rented Housing: Electrical Safety

baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to lay regulations to implement mandatory electrical safety checks for the private rented sector; and if so, when.

viscount younger of leckie: In July 2018, Government committed to introducing mandatory five-yearly electrical safety inspections for electrical installations in privately rented properties. This will be achieved through secondary legislation, as soon as parliamentary time allows.

Social Rented Housing: Electrical Safety

baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration is being given to the introduction of mandatory electrical safety checks in the social rented sector.

viscount younger of leckie: Government is committed to ensuring that everyone is safe, and feels safe, in their home.We published our Green Paper, "A new deal for social housing", in August last year. It asked whether new safety measures in the private rented sector should apply to social housing, including the proposed mandatory requirement on private landlords to ensure electrical installations in their property are inspected every five years. We are currently considering the responses to the consultation and will publish our action plan for implementing social housing reform in due course.

Ministry of Defence

Military Bases: Greater London

lord brougham and vaux: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the refurbishment of Wellington Barracks is likely to start; and what plans they have for the future of Hyde Park Barracks.

baroness goldie: I refer my noble Friend to the answer my noble friend the then Minister of State (Earl Howe) gave him on 1 November 2018 to Question HL10938.The Army began its £10 million restoration and refurbishment of Wellington Barracks in 2018, and work on the assessment phase continues. Once this is complete, we will be able to set out more detail about the modernisation plans for Wellington Barracks.Options for how best to deliver State Ceremonial and Public Duties are being considered as part of the Department's work on estate optimisation within London, which includes consideration of Hyde Park Barracks in consultation with the Crown Estate who own the land. No decision has yet been taken on the future of the barracks.



HL10938 - Wellington Barracks
(Word Document, 31.83 KB)

Ministry of Defence: Contracts

lord touhig: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to reports that the Ministry of Defence's management of outsourcing contracts has wasted £3.9 billion, what plans they have to review such contracts for defence work.

baroness goldie: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) routinely reviews and monitors all its contracts, including outsourced services.In February 2019, the Government Commercial Function launched the 'Outsourcing Playbook' which sets out Government policy and guidelines on outsourcing procurement activities. The aim is to improve both the decision making around outsourcing, and the quality of contracts.The MOD has been engaged throughout the development of the 'Outsourcing Playbook' and is now implementing its policies.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Timber: Packaging

lord macpherson of earl's court: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made in enabling British exporters to conform with wooden packing requirements under International Standards For Phytosanitary Measures No. 15 following the UK's departure from the EU.

lord gardiner of kimble: Defra, the Forestry Commission and other relevant UK plant health authorities have established a strong and trusted relationship with the wood packaging material (WPM) sector who understand what actions they will need to take to manage these new international standards for plant health, International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures No. 15 (ISPM15). Both the UK WPM industry body Timcon and the EU WPM industry body FEFPEB have released no deal statements to help their members and businesses which use WPM to prepare in the event of a no deal exit. Further, the WPM industry bodies are improving ISPM15 processes and increasing their supply of ISPM15 certified WPM in preparation for EU exit.

Public Footpaths

lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to improve and extend the footpath network since the publication of their Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy in 2017 on 21 April 2017.

lord gardiner of kimble: The Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy (CWIS) does not contain measures to improve and extend the national footpath network. However, funding has been provided under the CWIS to improve walking routes alongside highways and to improve road crossings in towns and cities, including through the £210 million Cycle Ambition Cities programme.

Plastics: Packaging

baroness jones of whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they intend to introduce extended producer responsibility charges for manufactures producing plastic packaging.

lord gardiner of kimble: We consulted on our proposals to reform the UK packaging producer responsibility system earlier this year. Based on the feedback we received and the strong support from respondents for the principles and outcomes proposed, we intend to progress these policy proposals and introduce an extended producer responsibility scheme for packaging in 2023. As is the case for the current system, the reformed system will target all packaging materials, including plastic.

Plastics

baroness jones of whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to prevent the increased use of virgin plastics in products as a result of the rise in the cost of recycled plastic flakes.

lord gardiner of kimble: At Budget 2018, the Government announced its intention to introduce a world-leading new tax on businesses that produce or import plastic packaging containing less than 30% recycled content, taking effect from April 2022. The tax will be set at a rate that provides a clear economic incentive for businesses to use recycled material in the production of plastic packaging. This will help to drive the treatment of plastic waste up the waste hierarchy so that more plastic is recycled rather than being sent to landfill or incineration. The tax will create demand for recycled plastic and will be supported by our reforms of the current packaging producer responsibility system, which will help to create a supply of recycled plastic material. We will introduce an extended producer responsibility system for packaging, which incentivises businesses to design packaging that is easy to recycle. These measures will help deliver our Resources and Waste Strategy, published last December, which sets out how we will recycle more plastic than we do now by moving to a more circular economy.

Home Office

Visas

lord steel of aikwood: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given, if any, to including provisions in the Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill for a separate short-stay visa category.

baroness williams of trafford: The forthcoming Immigration Bill will lay the foundation for a new immigration system which welcomes the people the country needs.The Government is considering the design of the future immigration system and will outline plans shortly.

Hate Crime: Disability

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to reduce violent hate crime towards disabled people.

baroness williams of trafford: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 28 October 2019.The correct answer should have been:

We are taking determined action to tackle knife crime and other serious violence, including by preventing children and young people from gaining access to knives in the first place. It is already illegal to sell knives and certain articles with blade or point to anyone under 18 in England and Wales, whether face to face or online, and the Offensive Weapons Act 2019 will further strengthen the law by stopping knives being sent to residential addresses after being bought online, unless the seller has arrangements in place with the delivery company to ensure that the product will not be delivered to a person under 18. Through the Offensive Weapons Act, we will also introduce new Knife Crime Prevention Orders which will give the police an important new tool to help them to work with both young people and adults at risk of being drawn into knife crime to steer them away from serious violence.It is vital that the police have the resources and tools they need to tackle knife crime, including possession of knives on our streets. This is why we have increased police funding by more than £1 billion this year, including council tax and the £100 million Serious Violence Fund. Through the Serious Violence Fund we have provided £63.4 million to the 18 police forces worst affected by serious violence to pay for surge operational activity, and £1.6 million to help improve the quality of data on serious violence, particularly knife crime, to support planning and operations. In addition, £35million of the Serious Violence Fund is being invested in Violence Reductions Units which will form a key component of our action to build capacity in local areas to tackle the root causes of serious violence.We have also launched a national campaign to begin to recruit 20,000 new police officers over the next three years, and we are making it easier for the police to use their important stop and search powers which is a vital tool in tackling knife possession on our streets and in our local communities.In addition, we continue to encourage all police forces to undertake a series of coordinated national weeks of action to tackle knife crime under Operation Sceptre. The latest phase of the operation took place from 17 to 22 September and included targeted stop and searches, weapon sweeps, and surrender of knives, including through amnesty bins. The operation also includes test purchase operations to identify those retailers who flout the law and sell knives to under 18s. Through our dedicated Prosecution Fund we are supporting Trading Standards to prosecute rogue retailers who repeatedly fail test purchases.We are also addressing the root causes of serious violence by investing over £220 million in early intervention projects, and as announced in the Queen’s Speech, we are bringing forward a new Bill to introduce a new legal duty on public bodies to work together to prevent and tackle serious violence.Any form of hate crime is completely unacceptable, and this Government takes hate crime very seriously.That is why the Government published the Hate Crime Action Plan in 2016, and refreshed it in October 2018.The Action Plan includes a number of commitments that address all forms of hate crime. These include a review of hate crime legislation by the Law Commission which commenced earlier this year, a public awareness campaign that included specific examples of disability hate crime to make it clear that it is unacceptable. Additionally, the Action Plan includes specific plans to tackle disability hate crime, including increased engagement with disability stakeholders, hosting two ministerial roundtables with disability groups and social media companies to help tackle online abuse of disabled people, and providing funding for community projects that directly tackle disability hate crime.

baroness williams of trafford: We are taking determined action to tackle knife crime and other serious violence, including by preventing children and young people from gaining access to knives in the first place. It is already illegal to sell knives and certain articles with blade or point to anyone under 18 in England and Wales, whether face to face or online, and the Offensive Weapons Act 2019 will further strengthen the law by stopping knives being sent to residential addresses after being bought online, unless the seller has arrangements in place with the delivery company to ensure that the product will not be delivered to a person under 18. Through the Offensive Weapons Act, we will also introduce new Knife Crime Prevention Orders which will give the police an important new tool to help them to work with both young people and adults at risk of being drawn into knife crime to steer them away from serious violence.It is vital that the police have the resources and tools they need to tackle knife crime, including possession of knives on our streets. This is why we have increased police funding by more than £1 billion this year, including council tax and the £100 million Serious Violence Fund. Through the Serious Violence Fund we have provided £63.4 million to the 18 police forces worst affected by serious violence to pay for surge operational activity, and £1.6 million to help improve the quality of data on serious violence, particularly knife crime, to support planning and operations. In addition, £35million of the Serious Violence Fund is being invested in Violence Reductions Units which will form a key component of our action to build capacity in local areas to tackle the root causes of serious violence.We have also launched a national campaign to begin to recruit 20,000 new police officers over the next three years, and we are making it easier for the police to use their important stop and search powers which is a vital tool in tackling knife possession on our streets and in our local communities.In addition, we continue to encourage all police forces to undertake a series of coordinated national weeks of action to tackle knife crime under Operation Sceptre. The latest phase of the operation took place from 17 to 22 September and included targeted stop and searches, weapon sweeps, and surrender of knives, including through amnesty bins. The operation also includes test purchase operations to identify those retailers who flout the law and sell knives to under 18s. Through our dedicated Prosecution Fund we are supporting Trading Standards to prosecute rogue retailers who repeatedly fail test purchases.We are also addressing the root causes of serious violence by investing over £220 million in early intervention projects, and as announced in the Queen’s Speech, we are bringing forward a new Bill to introduce a new legal duty on public bodies to work together to prevent and tackle serious violence.Any form of hate crime is completely unacceptable, and this Government takes hate crime very seriously.That is why the Government published the Hate Crime Action Plan in 2016, and refreshed it in October 2018.The Action Plan includes a number of commitments that address all forms of hate crime. These include a review of hate crime legislation by the Law Commission which commenced earlier this year, a public awareness campaign that included specific examples of disability hate crime to make it clear that it is unacceptable. Additionally, the Action Plan includes specific plans to tackle disability hate crime, including increased engagement with disability stakeholders, hosting two ministerial roundtables with disability groups and social media companies to help tackle online abuse of disabled people, and providing funding for community projects that directly tackle disability hate crime.

Cabinet Office

Devolution: Scotland

lord foulkes of cumnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government what meetings have taken place between House of Lords Ministers and Ministers in the Scottish Government in the last six months.

the earl of courtown: UK Government Ministers, including Lords Ministers, have had frequent meetings with the Scottish Government over the last six months, on both a bilateral and multilateral basis. These meetings have discussed a wide number of topics relating to matters of interest to both the UK Government and the Scottish Government. For example, as Chair of the Joint Ministerial Committee (Europe), Lord Callanan (Minister of State at the Department for Exiting the European Union) meets with his counterpart in the Scottish Government on a regular basis. In the last six months, he has also been joined by Lords Ministers from BEIS, the Home Office and the Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland.

Prorogation

lord stoddart of swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Earl of Courtown on 8 October (HL17934), whether they will now answer the question put, namely what assessment they have made of the constitutional and political implications of the Supreme Court ruling that the Government's decision to advise Her Majesty The Queen to prorogue Parliament was unlawful, and therefore the subsequent prorogation was void and of no effect.

the earl of courtown: Since the judgment, the Prime Minister requested a prorogation of Parliament from the 8 October ahead of a Queen's Speech which took place on the 14th October. The implication of the Supreme Court judgment was considered in making that decision.

Department for International Trade

Department for International Trade: Languages

baroness coussins: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many officials with relevant foreign language skills are currently employed by the Department for International Trade to work on negotiating free trade agreements for the United Kingdom after Brexit.

the earl of courtown: Languages are an important element of this Department’s capability needs and the Department continues to encourage its civil servants in the development of their language skills. We draw on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s in-country diplomatic staff and their language expertise. We expect future Free Trade Agreements being considered at this time will be negotiated in English, including with the US, Australia and New Zealand. Where they are not, it is normal practice to make use of professional interpreters.We currently have 33 posts which require language skills.DIT also promotes opportunities for UK based staff posted overseas (non speaker slots) to learn the language of the country. If a DIT staff member is posted overseas as a non-speaker they can take optional beginners language courses. This extends to the spouse or partner. If they already have a basic level of competency in a foreign language they can also take development classes. These classes are provided through the FCO Diplomatic Academy Language School and easily accessible through DIT digital channels.

Overseas Companies: Burma

baroness goudie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the British Chambers of Commerce about their members' business with Burmese military-owned companies.

the earl of courtown: Officials in the Department for International Trade have advised the British Chamber of Commerce Myanmar to consider business relationships with Myanmar partners carefully and carry out appropriate due diligence. This message has also been conveyed by the UK’s Ambassador to Myanmar.

Manufactured Goods: Exports

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that manufacturers are predicting sharp declines in exports next year.

the earl of courtown: Recent data demonstrates the current strength of UK manufacturing, in the 12 months to August 2019, UK goods exports were up 3.5% on the same time period in the previous year. The government has noted reports of declining perceptions of the export environment for the manufacturing sector. This is unsurprising in the context of forecasts for a slowdown in global trade anticipated by several international organisations, including the IMF, WTO and OECD. The March 2019 OBR’s Economic Outlook projected that UK exports would rise by 1.7% in 2020. However, our ambition is for the UK to increase exports as a percentage of GDP from 30% to 35%. We are helping business seize international opportunities through the support outlined in the government’s Export Strategy, including impartial export advice from International Trade Advisors and our overseas network in markets across the world.

Arms Trade: Turkey

lord touhig: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the statement byLord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 15 October (HL Deb, col 25), when they expect to complete the review of arms export licences to Turkey.

the earl of courtown: The Government is keeping defence exports to Turkey under careful and continual review. We are monitoring the situation in Syria very closely and are considering the licensing position in the light of recent developments. No further export licences to Turkey for items which might be used in military operations in Syria will be granted while we do so.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Video Games

lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what guidance, if any, they intend tooffer to the Video Standards Council on the age-rating system for video games.

baroness barran: The Video Standards Council (VSC) is an independent body, designated under the Video Recordings Act 1984 to issue statutory age ratings for video games in the UK. Although the VSC’s classification decisions are therefore rightly independent of the Government, we do require it to meet certain operating standards, including regularly consulting the public on its classification standards and maintaining an Advisory Panel of experts in fields such as child and adolescent mental health. We are in frequent dialogue with the VSC about their work and on how we can ensure that children are better protected from inappropriate content. This includes working with them on a call to industry to adopt PEGI ratings for every online game.

Gambling: Children

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to address the number of children who gamble.

baroness barran: Operators offering gambling services to people in Great Britain must have a licence from the Gambling Commission and have procedures in place to prevent underage gambling. The Gambling Commission has a range of powers to act in the case of failure, including the power to suspend or revoke a licence, impose financial penalties or prosecute criminal offences. Although it is legal for children to engage in some forms of gambling – for example, betting between friends or on crane grab machines in Family Entertainment Centres – the law is clear that children are not allowed to gamble online or in pubs, betting offices and bingo halls. In May the Gambling Commission introduced new rules that require online gambling businesses to verify the age of customers before they can deposit money, gamble, or access play-for-free versions of gambling games. The Gambling Commission is also working with local authorities and the hospitality sector to improve the enforcement of legal age requirements on the use of gaming machines in pubs.

Pornography: Internet

lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to prevent children accessing pornography online now that they do not intend to introduce age verification for pornographic websites.

baroness barran: Protecting children is at the heart of our online harms agenda and is key to wider government priorities. The government published the Online Harms White Paper in April this year which proposed the establishment of a duty of care on companies to improve online safety, overseen by an independent regulator with strong enforcement powers to deal with non-compliance. The White Paper sets out our expectation that companies should protect children from inappropriate content, including pornography, and we will produce guidance for companies to keep children safe online, ahead of the new regulatory framework. We are committed to the UK becoming a world-leader in the development of online safety technology and expect age verification to continue to be a tool used by companies to keep children safe online.